The Game Show Forum
The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: Eric Paddon on November 13, 2024, 10:03:00 PM
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I did not want to post this in the audio section because I don't have the audio to share but Phil Gries Archival TV Audio site which lists a large number of audio recordings of lost game shows of the 50s to 70s has an interesting description for one program that I had never seen before and that I thought was worth sharing because it sheds some light on policy during Pyramid history. This is the summary for the "lost" Pyramid show of April 8, 1976 and what happened with an incident identical to that of the "Famous Losers" debacle of three years later, with a slightly different wrinkle.
#9781: $20,000 PYRAMID
1976-04-08, ABC, 30 min.
Dick Clark , Bob Clayton , Vikki Lawrence , Rick Hurst , Lenore Lucy , Bob Palmary , Larry Banner , Ruth Pickholtz
NOTE: The broadcast on April 8, 1976 is iconic and is of historical importance. On this program contestant Ruth Pickholtz, a young recently graduated attorney, appears in the second portion of the show playing four rounds with partner Rick Hurst ("Things Associated with Law," "Things People Pull Out," "Things People Join," and "Describe Things that Begin with the Letter K." Ruth Pickholtz wins $10,000. There is great celebration.
However, when returning from a commercial break Dick Clark had the following caveat to say:
DICK CLARK: "Ruth, I've had some miserable jobs in my life and this is not the most pleasant. We have just gone through the exhilaration of your quote, "winning 10,0000 dollars." Human beings are entitled to mistakes. We made a bad one. We have given away 3 million dollars on this show, so a $10,000 gift really means nothing. We cannot in all consciousness give you that because as you will recall in the category "Things That Have Brands," Rick Hurst said something about names of products (Mouton Rothschild) which is really a description and it equals a brand. I just went through a lengthy meeting with our standards, people who have been watching over us all these years. We don't want the money. We cannot give it to you because of people who have gone bye before you and who will follow. We would like you to name a charity and we'll send them the $10,000 and give you another opportunity."
RUTH PICKHOLTZ: "That's fine. I would like to give it to The National Association of Retarded Children."
DICK CLARK: "You're a good lady. We'll see you first thing tomorrow."
Ruth Pickholtz returned the following day (broadcast, Friday April 9, 1976), and this time she won $10,000 to keep.
NOTE: In January 2022 Ruth Pickholtz contacted Archival Television Audio, Inc. In a conversation with founder and owner of ATA, Phil Gries, Ruth stated how for many years she had been attempting to obtain/locate this show, but to no avail (very few "Pyramid" broadcasts survive in any form, video, audio, transcript, thru mid 1978).
Finally, after appearing on this broadcast on April 8, 1976, she will be able to listen to herself for the first time in 46 years.
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That's certainly an interesting way to resolve that matter. We can't give it to you, but we'll give it to your favorite charity. I wonder why they didn't keep doing that.
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Because that extra ten grand adds up. I presume they were budgeted for maybe two wins per week—maybe three?
Also it could set a precedent of every hairy call means the equivalent of a win.
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Other than something like "a rancher's cattle," what clues come to mind for "Things That Have Brands" besides product names?
EDIT: I guess you could get a little more specific with that one clue ("a rancher's cattle's hindquarters"), which might be enough, but it's still a pretty limited category, I'd think.
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"Designer Jeans" is the only other era-relevant clue I can come up with
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"Colorful can labels"
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Vehicle's back-ends.
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One of the more innovative solutions, and fortunately for the charity at a time when Bob and the show were at a peak. Three years later, the donation might have been z-brick and a master mechanic shop-vac.
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Other than something like "a rancher's cattle," what clues come to mind for "Things That Have Brands" besides product names?
There’s no way I come up with this while on the clock, but “a product’s seal of approval”? It’s a very clunky clue for a category that only has a couple good answers. I’m guessing they gave her a second chance more because they knew that was a really weird category and she and Rick had to work hard for that 10K.
It also reminds me of the early CBS episode where they replaced the top category after Richard Deacon struggled for whatever reason. The replacement ended up being THINGS AT A PARTY, which the contestant nailed instantly.
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A gift catalogue?
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"A rancher's iron." Pair that with "A rancher's cattle" and then do a little soft-shoe if that doesn't get them home. Maybe throw in "Grocery products" if you have to?
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What makes this a little different from the Famous Losers incident was that decision came before the break as opposed to returning from break. (Let's set aside future take-back-the-money situations for a second.)
The charity donation seems to indicate there was some level of disagreement on the decision, and maybe there was more push from S&P than the judges, so this was the compromise solution. I'm sure someone will pull out examples, but I don't think Things That Have Brands was used again, or maybe reworded.
Where was the box located? This might also be a factor in the disagreement, because a bottom row box is not usually going to be too technical.
The wording of the clue is weird, plural Things and plural Brands. So clues like a Coke or a Kleenex are both nominally the thing and the brand, so they fit the subject in a way. Not much of a wine connoisseur to know if Mouton Rothschild is one of those brands that are so synonymous with the product, but now it's getting incredibly subjective. But I would say "Coke bottles" and "a Kleenex tissue" are extra-technically incorrect, because those items have one brand and not (plural) brands.
I think there was a recognition of a poorly written clue, and perhaps not enough time to run a replacement, leading to this decision. I'm sure they probably put something down in writing after that to not make this the precedent solution. I imagine, even with the frugal Bob Stewart jokes, they paid the regular Winners' Circle winnings out of the prize budget and the production company just made the charitable donation and wrote it off.
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For things with a brand, what about "a non-generic product?"
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For things with a brand, what about "a non-generic product?"
“Competitor X’s Product” maybe? Was “Brand X” used as a selling point in ‘76?
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Was “Brand X” used as a selling point in ‘76?
Brand X's (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brand_X) first album came out that year, so the phrase would've been known at least.
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“Grocery store shelves.”
“Product displays.”
“Ads.”
Metaphorically: “Hester Prynne.”
Another thing that differentiates the “brand” category from “Famous Losers” is that in the former, it sounds like the judge awarded the category to the contestant, then after the break they decided to reverse it. For “Famous Losers,” the contestant said “losers . . . gamblers,” then the audience began cheering, the contestant jumped up, the music started, people came on stage — but the judge never officially gave the response a ding. True, it took 20 seconds between the answer and the first buzzer, but the reaction was also a bit premature.
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I had a realization while reading this thread. It's not only during the great moments that determine the best hosts, it's also during the uncomfortable and awkward moments. Dick had to thread the needle very carefully in that statement that was A) taking away a contestant's money after the contestant thought they earned it, B) the argument between the judges and standards and practices, and C) the possible gray area got opened up during the argument. I read that explanation in Dick Clark's voice, and I heard the sincerity in every word.
This moment heightened my standing for Dick Clark, and it was already very high. The last time I heighten a status for Dick Clark was watching a Blind Contestants week on 80's Pyramid. They were in the Winner's Circle going for $25,000. At one point before the top box was revealed, the guide dog got on all four legs and started moving. The dog looked spooked in the setting. While the celebrity and contestant was trying to get that final box for $25,000, you could see Dick's hand coming out of frame slowing petting the dog to calm it down but not interfering with the game going on. A few seconds later, the $25,000 was won. I'm not sure if Dick's quick action helped the celebrity and contestant in the moment, but he sure as heck prevented a moment becoming more awkward and possibly affecting the game.
Dick Clark is the best host PERIOD. Not game show host, but host period. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
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Now that I'm reading the summary more carefully, I didn't realize the clear implication that Ruth was allowed to replay the Winners Circle on the next show without having to go through another game because if she did have to play another game, she would have been playing for $15,000 instead of $10,000. So she in effect got the same consideration that Preston Jones was given in 1973.
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Reospectfully, Eric, I have no idea who that is, why he got a reprieve or how it ended.
Also I sort of read past that because of course if you don’t summit the pyramid you go back in the fray.
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Preston Jones is the contestant on the Ballard-Deacon $10K Pyramid episode from 1973 who got to replay the last box when the whole "Things You Wrap" controversy erupted and they didn't give him the box when he said "Things You Unwrap." Preston has given his story here at this forum in the past.
https://www.gameshowforum.org/index.php/topic,18296.msg219492.html#msg219492
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Actor Marlon’s “O?”
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Actor Marlon’s “O?”
Or for the 21st Century replay of the category, "Despicable Me's Russell".
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Actor Marlon’s “O?”
Things Richard Pryor likes
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Things Richard Pryor likes
"Cocaine...Cocaine...Cocaine...Cocaine...Cocaine...Cocaine..."
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Preston Jones is the contestant on the Ballard-Deacon $10K Pyramid episode from 1973 who got to replay the last box when the whole "Things You Wrap" controversy erupted and they didn't give him the box when he said "Things You Unwrap." ....
I watched the episode (not the best quality) on YouTube, knowing a questionable ruling was made in the first WC play. The subject was, "Diet Foods," and Richard Deacon said "Puree," got hung up for a few seconds, and then said "Weight Watcher's Food." His contestant partner then said, "diet food." After I carefully looked it over and over," I think the contestant said it after Deacon said "Food," but I would've thought saying "Weight Watcher's" would've been too synonymous with "diet," and should've been buzzed for that, if not only for Deacon saying "food."